Building a legacy – a conversation with Andrew Tolley

In today's episode we're speaking with influential coffee entrepreneur Andrew Tolley, Managing Director of Tolley Coffee & Tea.

Together with his siblings, Laura and Nick, the Tolleys profoundly shaped London’s early specialty coffee scene with Taylor Street Baristas – a pioneering chain whose legacy and culture can still be felt today. They also established Harris + Hoole, a joint venture with Tesco, now run by The Nero Group.

Today, Andrew is as ever focused on education and serves as Knowledge Curator at the Coffee Knowledge Hub and Vice President of the Specialty Coffee Association.

In this candid conversation, Andrew reflects on his career, the realities and lessons from scaling two specialty coffee businesses, and the enduring legacy of Taylor St. He also shares his vision of the opportunities in coffee as a force for good through innovation, education, and positive social impact.

Credits music: The Weight by EIRRA in association with The Coffee Music Project and SEB Collective. Tune into the 5THWAVE Playlist on Spotify for more music from the show

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